Tripping mechanism for automatic record changers



Oct. 13,- 1942. c. E. TODD 2,298,933

TRIPPING MECHANISM FDR AUTOMATIC RECORD CHANGERS Filed Oct. 26, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

INVENTOR ITTTORNEY C. E. TODD Oct. 13, '1942;

TRIPPING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC RECORD CHANGERS Filed Oct. 26. 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet'Z PIC-3.2

FIG.3

INVENTOR LES E, TODD ATTOR-NEY Oct. 13, 1942. c. E. TODD 2,298,988

TRIPPING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC RECORD CHARGERS Filed 001:. 26, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR C. E. TODD Oct. 13,1942.

TRIPPING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC RECORD CHANGERS Filed Oct. 26, 1940 4 Sheets$heet 4 FIGS INVENTOR Pam-d Oct. 13, 1942 TKIPPING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC RECORD CHANGEBS Charles E. Todd, Fort Wayne, 11.3., assignor to Farnsworth Television and Radio Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application October 26, 1940, Serial No. 362,896

5Claims.

This invention relates to phonograph apparatus with automatic record-changing mechanism and more particularly to an improved tripp mechanism incorporated in the automatic recordchanging mechanism.

An object of the present invention is to provide a tripping mechanism which may be assembled easily and which requires no fine adjustments for satisfactory operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a simple tripping mechanism which is actuated either when the pickup arm moves an abnormal distance during a revolution' of the tumtable or when the pickup arm reaches a predetermined distance from the center of the tumtable.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tripping mechanism with fewer parts so that the mechanism may be built inexpensively.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided an automatic phonograph having a turntable and a movable pickup arm for cooperating with a record on .the turntable. The phonograph also includes the combination of driving means movable with the turntable, an actuating means adapted to be moved into driving engagement with the driving means, coupling means slidably connected with the pick-up arm and adapted to be moved into the path of the driving means and maintained out of engagement with the actuating means by the driving means while the pickup arm is cooperating with a playing groove of a record on the turntable, and means bias-connected to said pickup arm and adapted to move the coupling means and to be moved thereby. After the pickup arm reaches a predetermined distance from the center of the turntable, the bias-connected means is adapted to move the coupling means into engagement with the actuating means. Thereafter, the driving means moves the coupling means and therewith the actuating means for moving the actuating means into driving engagement with the driving means.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, there is provided an automatic phonograph having a turntable, a movable pickup arm for cooperating with a record on the turntable and an initiating apparatus. The initiating apparatus includes driving means rotatable with the turntable and coupling means slidably connected with the pickup arm. The coupling means is adapted to be moved a predetermined distance in a first direction into the path of the driving means during a revolution of the turntable by a playing groove of a record on the turntable and is adapted to be moved more than the predetermined distance in the first direction during a revolution of the turntable by a tripping groove of a record on the turntable. After the coupling means is moved into the path of the driving means, the driving means is adapted to move the coupling means relative to the pickup arm a predetermined distance opposite to the first direction. The initiating apparatus also includes means bias-connected to the pickup arm and associated with the coupling means for moving the coupling means a distance greater than th predetermined distance in the first direction when the pickup arm reaches a predetermined distance from the'center of the turntable and actuating means normally out of operative engagement with the driving means and adapted to be engaged by the coupling means when the coupling means is moved more than the predetermined distance in the first direction. After the coupling means is in engagement with the actuating means, the driving means moves the coupling means and therewith the actuating means. The movement of the actuating means brings it into operative engagement with the driving means.

In the drawings: 7

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the record-changing apparatus with the unplayed records re-- moved:

Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the record-changing apparatus of Fig. 1, showing a stack of records supported over the turntable and one record on the turntable in playing position, as viewed from line 2-2 of Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the record-changing apparatus;

. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view, showing the under side of the record-changing apparatus;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view, showing the tripping lever and cam, as viewed from line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Figs. 6 and 7 are fragmentary side elevation views showing various positions of records in relation to the centering spindle, at closely-spaced intervals of time after the lowermost record has been moved to release it from the supports;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the rec ord supports with the cover removed and with the pedestal partially in section; and

Fig. 9 is a view of the friction clutch assembly used in the tripping mechanism.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the invention there illustrated is embodied in a record-changing apparatus having a base plate i supporting a horizontally rotatable turntable ll upon which is a record I2 in position for reproduction. A reproducer or pickup I3 is supported at one end of a pickup arm H, which is pivoted at its opposite end about a vertical axis of a shaft I5 (shown in Fig. 3), which is rotatable within a pedestal It to permit the reproducer I! to move across the face of the record as the stylus of the reproducer follows the spiral groove of the record.

Fig. 2, which is a side elevation of the recordchanging apparatus, shows in greater detail the manner in which a number of unplayed records l1 are supported above the turntable on dia metrically opposite record supports l8--l8. These record supports extend upwardly from the base plate It! to which they are fixedly secured.

Supporting brackets i9 and 20 are provided at the upper ends of the supports l8l8. Shelf portions ISA and 20A (Fig. 1) on the brackets is and 20 engage the opposite peripheral edge portions of the lowermost record of a stack of records 10-inch or smaller. When the brackets l9 and 20 are rotated 90 in a manner presently to be described, shelf portions i915 and 20B (see Fig. 1) are brought into position to engage the opposite peripheral edge portion of the lowermost record of a stack of 12-inch or larger records.

The brackets I 9 and 20 are mounted upon the upper ends of tubular shafts 2l-2l which are rotatable about their vertical axes. Secured to the lower ends of the shafts 2 l--2| are sprocket wheels 22--22, clearly shown in Fig.4. The sprocket wheels are Joined by a link chain 23 so that they may move in unison to different positions. It evident that manual manipulation of either one of the brackets is or 20 from supporting position for 10-inch records to supporting position for 12-inch records or vice versa, causes a simultaneous movement of the other bracket to the corresponding supportingposition. In a similar fashion, both of the brackets is and 20 may be rotated together to a position so that the played records may be removed with the reciprocatory movement of a plunger 21 on the bracket l9, presently to be described in greater detail. In apparatus with a fixed recessed spindle, the spindle is positioned so that the recessed portion faces the bracket IS. The plunger 21 is arranged to engage a peripheral edge portion of the lowermost supported record and move it laterally so that the centering aperture of said record moves into the recess 28 of the centering spindle 24 and the opposite peripheral edge portion of said record moves into a notch 28 provided in the bracket 20. The notch 28 and the recess 28 permit the lowermost supported record to be moved sufliciently far to the left by the plunger 21 so that the right-hand edge of the record drops oil. of the shelf portion of the bracket l9.

When the lowermost supported record has been moved laterally in the manner Just described to the position shown in the fragmentaryview of Figure 6, the record is freed from the shelf portion of the right-hand bracket l9,

- and begins to fall at an angle to the turntable readily from the turntable. This is accomplished by rotating the supports l9 or 20 shown in Fig. 1 90 in a clockwise direction. When the brackets are in supporting position for a stack of' either 10-inch or 12-inch records. they may be locked in place in a manner hereinafter to be described in greater detail.

As shown in Fig. 2, the turntable l I is provided with a centering spindle 24 which extends upwardly and terminates in a tapered portion 25. This tapered portion 25 greatly facilitates loading records upon the brackets is and 20. The spindle may be fixed or rotatable with the turntable. The preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings includes a spindle that is rotatable with the turntable.

The spindle 24 is provided with a recess portion 26 formed on one side of the spindle. The

recess portion of the spindle is so positioned through the centering apertures of all of, the supported records.

Thus the spindle cooperates with brackets l9 and 20 to maintain the supported records in a stable position. In apparatus including a rotatable recessed spindle, the rotationof the spindle about its axis is timed as shown in Fig. 7. The spindle 24 is provided with a second recessed portion 29 (Figs. 2, 6 and 7) to permit the released record to fall sufficiently far so that the released record will move out of engagement with the bracket 24.

The left-hand bracket 20 is provided with a small spring-biased pin 30, which prevents the lowermost record from moving laterally by vibration or otherwise into releasing position prior to the time when the record is moved by action of the plunger 21 in the bracket II.

The turntable II is driven by a friction wheel 3|, shown under the left-hand flange of the turntable in Fig. 2. The friction wheel ii is operatively connected to a shaft 32 which is driven by an electric motor 22.

The detailed construction of the right-hand support is shown in Fig. 8. The bracket 19 is provided with a pair of channels 34 and 25 which support and guide in a reciprocatory mo- .tion plungers 21 and 31 respectively. Each of the plungers is biased by springs 38 and 29 respectively to the position shown in the drawings. The plungers 21 and 31 are actuated and moved against the biasing action of their respective springs by a pin 40 pivotally mounted within the hollow shaft 2i at 4|. Fixedly secured to the lower end of the pin 40 is a cam 42 normally biased by the action of one of the springs 38 or 39, into the path of movement of a pin or roller 43 provided on an actuating means preferably in. the form of a cam gear 44. The motion of 'the cam 42 is guided by a channel 45 provided in a bracket 48 afllxed to the base plate l0.

The reciprocatory motion of the cam 42 is produced by said cam engaging the pin '42 on the cam gear 44 as the latter rotates, as will later be described. This reciprocatory motion of the cam 42 is transmitted by the pin 44 to one of partially shown in Fig. 8 is shown fully in Fig.

4. Several teeth have been removed from the cam gear 44 at 41. The purpose of the mutilation on the cam gear is to break the driving connection between the cam gear 44 and a pinion gear 48, fixedly secured to a shaft 49 which also supports the turntable II. After each complete revolution of the cam gear 44, the driving connection with the pinion gear 48 is broken by the mutilated portion 41 and the cam gear 44 comes to a stop. One complete revolution of the cam gear 44 results in one. recordchanging cycle, as will become evident later.

When a record on the turntable has been completely played, the movement of the pickup arm I4 actuates the tripping mechanism, presently to be described, and causes the cam gear 44 to be moved sufilciently far so that its teeth mesh with the teeth of the pinion gear 46. The cam gear 44 thereupon is driven through a complete revolution about its axis 50 and comes to rest in the position shown in Fig. 4. As the cam gear 44 rotates, the pin 43 (see Fig. 8) on the cam gear 44 engages the cam 42 and as a result a record is moved from the supporting brackets I9 and 20 to playing position on the turntable in the manner heretofore described.

The cam gear 44 is provided with a cam surface I shown in Figs. 3 and 4. An arm 52, pivoted intermediate its ends on a bracket 53, which is fixed to the base plate I0, carries a roller 54 at one end, which is biased by a spring 65 into engagement with the cam surface 5|. As the roller 54 follows the cam surface 6|, it moves theleft-hand end of the arm 52 upward. This movement raises a pin 56 vertically in the hollow shaft i5. The'upper end of the pin 56 engages the underside of the pickup arm l4 and raises the pickup arm I4 vertically upward.

As appears in Fig. 3, a lever 51 is aflixed to the lower end of the hollow shaft I5 for moving the pickup arm "I in a horizontal plane. The free end of the lever 51 supports a pin 58 which moves within an aperture 59 in the heel of an L-shaped lever 66 (Fig. 4). The aperture 59 is sufllciently large so that the pin 58 may freely move with the lever 51 over a wide arc corresponding to the movement of the pickup arm l4, while playing a record. The L-shaped lever 60 is pivoted at 6i. A toe 62 of the L-shaped lever 60 engages a cam surface 63 provided on the cam gear 44. The toe 62 is continuously biased toward the cam surface 63 by a spring 64. After the pickup arm I4 has been raised to bring the stylus out of en-- gagement with the surface of the record in the manner previously described, and as the cam gear 44 continues to rotate, the cam surface 63 moves the Lshaped lever 60 in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 4) about its axis 6| and causes the right-hand side of the aperture 59 to engage and drive before it the pin 56. The pin moves the lever 51 and therewith the pickup arm in a radial direction away from the center of the record. The cam surface 63 is so shaped that the L-shaped lever 50 ceases its counterclockwise rotation at a time when the pickup arm has moved beyond the edge of the turntable and any records thereon.

After the pickup arm I4 has been moved beyond the edge of a record on the turntable, the cam gear 44 continues to rotate and the pin 43 (Fig. 8) thereupon engages the cam 42 to cause the bottom supported record to be dropped into playing position upon the turntable l I in a manner previously described. Shortly thereafter, the

toe 62 of the L-shaped lever begins to move to the right (Fig. 4) under the action of a spring 64. When this occurs. the left-hand edge of the aperture "engages the pin 58 and drives before it the lever 61, and therewith the pickup arm I4 to a position where the stylus of the pickup arm is over the outermost groove of the record on the turntable.

By this time, the cam surface 5| on the cam gear 44 has rotated to the position shown in Fig. 3, where the contour of the cam permits the roller 54 to rise vertically and permitting the left-hand end of the lever 62 (Fig. 3) to drop vertically, thereby returning the stylus of the pickup arm I4 into playing engagement with the record on the turntable.

The automatic record-changing cycle effected by a complete revolution of the cam gear 44 is initiated by the automatic tripping mechanism, previously mentioned, which will now be described in greater detail. The pickup arm I4, which has been lowered to engage the stylus with the outermost groove of a record on the turntable II, is moved inwardly by the stylus following the spiral playing groove on the record- In moving toward the center of the record, the pickup arm rotates the hollow shaft I5 to which is secured a clutch 65 shown in Figs. -3 and 9. The clutch 65 has associated therewith a resilient connecting means or a spring-biased member 66 and a coupling member or lever 61.

Referring particularly to Fig. 4, as reproduction goes on and the pickup arm I4 moves toward the center of the record, the clutch 65 moves the lever 66 in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 4). The lever 66 engages the side of the lever 61 (more clearly shown in Fig. 3) and moves the lever 61 in a counterclockwise direction. A free end 68 of the lever 61 is preferably formed at right angles as is clearly shown in Fig. 5. This construction of lever 61 builds up a stress in the lever as it moves over cam 69 to assure a positive connection between lever 61 and cam 44 as shown in dotted lines in Fi 5.

As the pickup arm I4 approaches the tripping groove of a record, the pickup arm moves the levers 66 and 61 in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 4). When the lever 61 is moved inwardly, the bent end 68 engages a cam 69 provided on the cam wheel 44 (Figs. 4 and 5). As the bent end 68 moves along the cam 69, it moves in the path of a cam or projection 10, which is fixed to the shaft 49. The cam 10 periodically strikes the bent end 68 and moves the lever 61 in a clockwise direction, whereby the lever 61 changes its position with respect to the pickup arm by virtue of the clutch 65. The clutch 65 is so adjusted on the shaft I5 that the lever 61 moves into engagement with the lever 66 when the pickup arm reaches a predetermined distance, from the center of the turntable. 'Ihereafter,the lever 61 can be moved in a clockwise direction (Fig. 4) only against the tension of the spring 1I. When the stylus of the pickup arm I4 moves into the tripping groove customarily provided as the inner groove of' the record, the pickup arm and the shaft I5 are moved during one revolution of the turntable a distance greater than the distance the pickup arm and the shaft I5 are moved during one revolution of the turntable by a playing groove. However, the operation of applicant's tripping mechanism is not limited to this type of tripping groove. It is clear from the description herein that applicants tripping mechanism can be operated either by an abnormal movement of the pickup arm I4 during one revolution of the shaft 49 or by moving the pickup arm ll to a predetermined position from the center of the turntable II. The movement of the pickup arm I8 is imparted to levers 88 and 61 by means of the clutch 88 and the spring ll. As a result of the greater movement of lever 81 or of its movement in response to the movement of the pickup arm M to a predetermined distance from the center of the turntable. one of two things happens. Lever 81 may swing past cam 10 into tripping position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, or the cam 18 mayengage and reverse the movement of lever 81 and lever 66. This reversing movement of levers 88 and 61 will result in increasing the tension on spring H to such an extent that when the cam 18 moves out of engagement with lever 81, the tension of spring II will move lever 81 by means of lever 88 to tripping position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. When the lever 81 is in tripping position, the rotation of a pin or extending member 12 affixed to the shaft 88 moves the lever 81 in a the annular end portion of lever 88. The spring II is fixed to the ear 88 and the wall 01' the flanged portion of sleeve 18. Normally the spring horizontal plane, whereby the cam gear 44 is rotated sumciently far so that the teeth of the cam gear 44 mesh with the teeth of the pinion gear 48, after which the pinion drives the cam gear 44 through a complete revolution to eifect 8. record-changing cycle heretofore described.

As appears in Fig. 4, a fixed stop I8 is secured to the base plate I!) with an upturned end 18 positioned in the path of movement of the lever 81. The stop 13 serves the purpose of maintaining the lever 61 in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5 so that the pin 12 may engage and move the lever 61 and therewith the cam gear 88 to initiate a record-changing cycle. As the cam gear 44 rotates and the cam 69 is moved out of engagement with the lever 81, the cam 78 in rotating with the pinion 48, engages the end of the lever 61 and moves the lever in a clockwise direction (Fig. 4) to the position shown in Fig. 4. When lever 81 is in this position it is ready to cooperate with the tripping mechanism to set the record-changing apparatus into operation after the next record is played.

The detailed construction of the clutch 88, previously referred to in connection with Figs. 3 and 9, will now be described in greater detail. An annular end portion 15 of the lever 81, which is ailixed to the shaft l5, serves as a base for the clutch. A spacer 16, which has a lower and an upper tubular portion, encircles the shaft l8 and the bottom of the lower tubular portion of said spacer rests on the annular end portion IS. A

fiber washer 11 which encircles the lower tubular portion of the spacer 16 also rests on the annular end portion 15. The annular end portion of thelever 61 is adapted to rotate around the shaft l5 and rests on the Washer 11. A fiber washer 18 also encircles the spacer I8 and is placed over the annular end portion of lever 81. The fin portion of the spacer 18 extends in a horizontal plane above the fiber washer 18. The fin portion is spaced above the annular end portion '15 so that the washers 11 and I8 and the lever 6'! fit snugly as shown in Fig. 9. The snugness permits lever 81 to rotate only against the friction with washers H and 18. The annular end portion of lever 88 is adapted to freely rotate around shaft 15 and is positioned above the fin portion of the spacer 18. A flanged sleeve 18 is afiixed to the shaft l5 and engages the upper tu- The upper tubular bular portion of spacer I8. portion of spacer I6 is of sufiicient axial length to permit lever 66 to rotate freely around shaft l5. An upturned ear 80 is integrally amxed to II holds the ear 88 in engagement with a pin 8| provided on the wall of the flange portion of sleeve I8. However, when the cam 18 moves levers 81 and 88 in counterclockwise direction (Fig. 9) ear 88 is moved out of engagement with pin 8| against the increased tension on the spring ll. When the cam III moves out of relationship with the levers 88 and 81 while the stylus of the pickup arm is located in the playing area of a record. the tension on spring II is Just suillcient to restore ear 88 into engagement with pin 8| without moving lever 81 into tripping position. But when cam I8 moves out of relationship with the levers 88 and 81 and the stylus of the pickup arm has moved into the tripping groove of a record, the tension on spring H is sumciently great to swing lever 88 with suilicient force to move lever 81 into tripping position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. The flanged sleeve 18 is fixed to the shaft IS in a predetermined position so that cam 12 begins to strike lever 81 before the stylus of the pickup arm reaches the tripping groove of a record.

When the record-supporting brackets l8 and 28 are in the position shown in Fig. 1, they are capable of supporting a stack of 10-inch records. When the brackets l9 and 28 are rotated manually in a counterclockwise direction, they are capable of supporting a stack of 12-inch records.

When the brackets l9 and 20 are rotated manually 90 in a clockwise direction from their position for supporting a stack of 10-inch records, the brackets l9 and 20 are in position to permit easy removal of the played record from the turntable.

As shown in Fig. 4, the brackets I8 and 28 are locked in their predetermined positions by the provision of a locking cam 82 secured to the lower end of the shaft 2|, which supports the bracket 28 at its upper end. The cam 82 is provided with notches 88, 88 and 85, which are engaged by a pin 88 fixedly secured to the right-hand end of a lever 81. The lever 81 is pivotally mounted to the base plate II at 88. A spring 88, which is afllxed to the left-hand end of the lever 81 and a suitable fixed member, normally biases the pin 88 into continuous engagement with one of the notches 83, 88 or 85. When the notch 83 engages the pin 88, the brackets l8 and 28 are in position to support 10-inch records. When the notch 88 engages the pin 86, the brackets l8 and 28 are in position to support 12-inch records; and when the notch 88 engages the pin 88, the brackets l8 and 28 are out of record-supporting position, thus allowing easy removal of the played records from the turntable.

It will be noted that the left-hand end of the lever 81 extends into engagement with a set screw 88 which is provided near the lower end of the lever 88. The contour of the cam 82 is such that the left-hand end of the lever 81 allows less clockwise movement of the lever Sli'under the action of the spring 88, when the apparatus is set to link chain 23 connects the sprocket wheels 22-42, which are fixedly secured to the lower ends of the shafts 2l-2l. The link chain 23 is maintained under tension by a pair of idler pulleys 9l---9|.

In addition to the automatic tripping mechanism previously described, there is also provided a manual, spring-biased tripping lever 92 (Fig. 4) The lower end of this lever is bent to extend upwardly through a slotted aperture 93 in the base plate It. To this bent end of the lever 92 is affixed a knob 94 (Fig. '1). The lever 92 is normally biased by a spring 95 out of engagement with an ear 96 provided near the bent end 68 of the lever 61. However, the lever 92 may be manually moved about its axis 91 to engage the ear 96 of the lever 61, thereby moving the bent end 68 of the lever 61 into engagement with the end of the cam 69, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, to manually trip the mechanism and initiate a record-changing cycle.

The general mode of operation of the recordchanging apparatus will now be described. The

the stylus is. over the outermost groove of the record just placed upon the turntable.

At this time, the cam surface 5! (Fig. 3) has ,shown in Fig. 4 and reproduction of the record following description is directed to the recordchanging apparatus when it is set to operate on 10-inch records. After a stack of records has been placed upon the-supporting brackets I9 and 20 (Fig. 2), and a record I2 has been placed in playing position upon the turntable H, the pickup arm I4 is manually moved to place the stylus in the outermost groove of the record.

The pickup arm I4 moves inwardly as the stylus follows the spiral groove. When the tripping groove is reached, the automatic tripping mechanism is actuated by the movement of the levers 6B and 61 (Fig. 4) in response to the movement of the pickup arm l4. This results in the bent end 68 of the lever 61 engaging the end of the cam 69, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. Thereafter the pin 12 engages and moves the bent end 68 of lever 61 and therewith the pinion gear 48 until the teeth of the gear 44 mesh with the teethof the continually rotating pinion gear 48. Thereafter, the cam gear 44 is driven through a recordchanging cycle.

As the cam gearv 44 rotates, the cam surface 5| (Figs. 3 and 4) moves the lever 52 and raises the pin 56, thereby lifting the pickup arm l4 off of the record.

Continued movement of the cam gear 44 causes the cam surface 63 to move the L-shaped lever 60 just placed on the turntable takes place.

The next and following cycles of automatic operation are actuated by the automatic tripping mechanism each time the stylus moves into the tripping groove of the record.

While there has been described what is at present considered the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in theart that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention, and it is therefore aimed in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and.

scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In an automatic phonograph having a turntable and -a movable pickup arm for cooperating with a record on said turntable; the combination of a continually movable member; a.projection movable with said movable member; a cam means adapted to be brought into driving engagement with said movable member, a clutch associated with said pickup arm; a. coupling member adapted to be brought into the path of said projection and maintained out of engagement with said cam means by said projection while said pickup arm iscooperating with the playing groove of a record on said turntable;

' and a spring-biased connecting means associated and therewith the lever 51 to swing the pickup arm [4 in a horizontal plane beyond the edge of a record on the turntable.

Shortly thereafter the pin 43 (Fig. 8) on the cam gear 44 moves the cam 42 which in turn, by means of pin 40, transmits reciprocatory motion to the plunger 21. The reciprocating plunger 21 engages the edge of the lowermost supported record and moves this record in a direction normal to the axis of the centering spindle 24 (Fig. 2) suificiently far so that the record drops oil of the supporting bracket I9; The record in falling pulls the record off of the supporting bracket 20. The completely released record then drops by gravity and is guided by the centering spindle 24 into playing position upon the turntable II.

The cam gear 44 has by this time rotated sufficiently far so that the cam surface 63 (Fi 4) allows the L-shaped lever 60 to move clockwise under the biasing action of'the biasing spring 64, to return the pickup arm l4 to a position where with saidclutch and said coupling member for cooperating with said projection to move said coupling member into engagement with said cam means when said pickup arm reaches a predetermined distance from the center of said tumtable, whereby said coupling member and said' movable member cooperate to move said cam means into driving engagement with said movable member.

2. In' an automatic phonograph having a turntable and a movable pickup arm for-cooperating with a record on said turntable; the combination of a continually movable member; a projection movable with said movable member; a cam means adapted to be brought into driving engagement with said movable member; a coupling member frictionally associated with said pickup arm and adapted to be brought into the path of said projection and maintained out of engagement with said cam means by said projection while said pickup arm is cooperating with the playing groove of a record on said turntable; and a spring-biased member movable with said pickup arm and adapted to move said coupling member and to be moved thereby, said springbiased member and said projection cooperating to move said coupling member into engagement with said cam means when said pickup arm reaches a predetermined distance from the center of said turntable, whereby said coupling member and said movable member cooperate to move said cam means into driving engagement with said movable member.

3. In an automatic phonograph having a tum- .table and a movable pickup arm for cooperating movable with said movable member, a cam means adapted to be brought into driving engagement with said movable member; a coupling member frictionally associated with said pickup arm and adapted to be brought into the path of said projection and maintained out engagement with said cam means by said projection while said pickup arm is cooperating with the playing groove 01' a record on said turntable; a-

spring-biased member movable with said pickup arm and adapted to be moved relative thereto against the biasing force applied to said springbiased member, said spring-biased member and said projection cooperating to move said coupling member into engagement with said cam means when said pickup arm reaches a predetermined distance from the center of said turntable; and an extending member associated with said movable member for engaging said coupling member after said coupling member is moved into engagement with said cam means for moving said cam means into driving engagement with said movable member.

4. man automatic phonograph having a turntable and a movable pickup arm for cooperating with a record on said turntable; the combination of driving means movable with said tumtable; actuating means ad xpted to be moved into operative engagement with said driving means; coupling means slidably connected to said pickup arm and adapted to be moved into the path of said driving means and maintained out of engagement with said actuating means by said driving means while said pickup arm is cooperating with a playing roove of a record on said turntable; and means bias-connected to said pickup arm and associated with said coupling means and adapted to move said coupling means into engagement with said actuating means when said pickup arm reaches a predetermined distance from the center 01 said turntable whereby the driving means cooperates with said coupling means to move said actuating means into vengagement with said driving means.

5. In an automatic phonograph having a tumtable and a movable pickup arm for cooperating with a record on said turntable; initiating apparatus comprising a driving means rotatable with said turntable: coupling means slidably connected with said pickup arm and being movable thereby a predetermined distance in a first direction into the path of said driving means during a revolution of said turntable when said pickup arm is tracking a playing groove of a record on said turntable and more than said predetermined distance in said first direction during a revolution of said turntable when said pickup arm is tracking the tripping groove of a record on said turntable, said driving means moving said coupling means relative to said pick-up arm said predetermined distance opposite to said first direction after said coupling means is moved into the path of said driving means; means biasconnected to said pickup arm and associated with said coupling means for moving said coupling means in said first direction a distance greater 

